253 What the best animal science teachers do

Abstract

Great teachers have the extraordinary ability to inspire and motivate even those that resist learning. The top educators are not only knowledgeable about the content of the course they are teaching but often conscious of the information, literature and practice of instructional delivery to their audience. Many exemplary educators have been profiled and studied, followed by attempting to emulate from ambitious peers. However, there is a gap between the examples of disciplines published and what the teachers of animal science do. The objective of this study was to identify and describe what the characteristics are of the best animal science teachers in addition to identifying and describing what the characteristics are of their classroom environments and students. The inclusion criterion for selecting faculty was being bestowed an excellence in teaching award through their professional organization. Each teacher answered a series of questions about themselves, their students and the class being taught both before and after the lecture. Lecture was captured using a digital all-inclusive camera and later analyzed for pedagogical trends, instructor-student interactions and student engagement. Despite a variety of topics being taught, there were multiple trends emerging from these classrooms. Common events included reviewing previous lectures, distributing something physical to the students, posing questions during class and calling on students by name. Most students in every class were not distracted and asked questions. Each teacher taught differently, but they all understood their audience; they grasped the subject matter and most importantly, they valued students learning. Collectively, these findings can be adopted by other teachers and be applied and utilized in their own environment in an attempt to foster improved classrooms and student learning through excellent teaching.